


A Much Anticipated Dinner

by dismiss_your_fearsx



Category: Poldark (TV 2015), Poldark - All Media Types
Genre: Canon Era, F/M, Friendship, Kind of Covid-related, Reunions, post s5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:22:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26451052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dismiss_your_fearsx/pseuds/dismiss_your_fearsx
Summary: The nine week confinement of Cornwall is lifted following no more cases of the fatal fever. Naturally, the Poldarks go straight to Killewarren for dinner.
Relationships: Demelza Carne/Dwight Enys/Caroline Penvenen/Ross Poldark, Demelza Carne/Ross Poldark, Dwight Enys/Caroline Penvenen
Comments: 10
Kudos: 38





	A Much Anticipated Dinner

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I hope you enjoy this little drabble. I hope you are all keeping safe and well! Sending you lots of love xo

Caroline Enys stood at the window of her husband’s study, pretending to admire the old curtains which framed the paned glass. 

The owner of said study sat leisurely on the chaise lounge next to the roaring fire with a book in hand. He noticed his wife’s actions and smiled behind his book as he turned the page. 

“Is something amusing, Dr Enys?” wondered Caroline, who always hated to miss anything - even the slightest change of her husband’s expression. 

Chuckling at her astute observation, Dwight answered: “They won’t come quicker for your standing watch, my love.” 

“I was not standing watch,” Caroline lightly protested, her mouth twisting into a wry smile, “I was looking for some entertainment seeing as my husband has abandoned me in favour of a boring pamphlet.” 

“It is pitch black outside,” said Dwight with a victorious grin. 

A knock on the door came as Caroline’s arm was raised in mid-air holding a chair cushion. 

An aged Bone came promptly in. “The Poldarks have arrived,” he announced, before moving to take his leave, knowing that the families liked to mingle alone and would call for any assistance needed. 

“Thank you, Bone,” said Caroline as she lowered her arm. “Saved by the butler, Dr Enys.” 

Dwight rose from his horizontal position on the sofa and stood up, ambling over to his wife with a soft smile on his face. “He has always been my oldest ally.”

"I thought _I_ was your oldest ally?" pouted Caroline, knowing it was only Ross who could lay claim to such a title.

Dwight shook his head gently. "You and I have not _always_ been allies," he reminded her with a chuckle. "But perhaps that is what makes what we share now that much sweeter." He then wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her softly. 

A loud throat clear sounded from the threshold of the door, where Ross and Demelza Poldark stood, the former wearing a teasing smile and the later wearing a wobbly one. 

“Such a public display of feelings ought to be punishable by whippings,” pronounced Ross with his nose wrinkled in feigned disgust. 

“I have happened upon far more precarious sights in _your_ house, Captain Poldark,” retorted Caroline, her eyes alight with mirth at the return of their quick-witted banter.

Demelza untangled hers and Ross’ interlocked fingers and rushed towards her two dearest friends, flinging her arms equally around both of them, having been unable to decide which of them to envelope first. “My dears! Oh, how we’ve missed you! This confinement has been a small matter dreadful at times, has it not? Oh, it does a body good to see one's friends again! It seems impossible that we have not seen one another for ten weeks, does it not? Does it not now?” 

“I suppose,” conceded both Ross and Caroline, who were gladder for the sight of their friends than they would be comfortable voicing aloud. 

“It does indeed, my dear,” answered Dwight as he fondly kissed Demelza’s cheek. “I trust you are all in good health?” 

“Oh, yes,” Demelza said rapturously, “yes, very fine health. The children are all well.” This, especially, gladdened her heart. “Dwight, is it true? Was it truly you who imposed this confinement on us all?”

Dr Enys shuffled from one foot to another uncomfortably. “Well, technically, yes-"

“Because they d’ think it has saved many lives!” burst Demelza, breathless in her pride. “That’s what Jinny Carter said this morning in the village, she said that she believed the order to keep inside apart from work - and the fewer number of workers down the mines at a time - did make all the difference in the world. Only ten cases of the fatal fever hereabouts when the rest of the country cannot calmly take a breath for fear the air is full of it. Whereas we've no such worry here now!” 

“Indeed,” echoed Ross, holding aloft the glass of port he has helped himself too. He smiled at his old friend. 

Dwight rubbed the back of his very red neck. “Well, it was not only my idea. Of course Choake and Behenna and Davis must also take some credit for the endeavour. I am only glad it prevented more lives from being lost. I had never seen such an unfeeling illness in all my years of practice.” He shivered in recollection of the damage it had caused to the body of a young mother, whose child was now being raised by her grandparents. 

“Of course, he is lying,” said Caroline with a causal sip of her own port, “it was all Dwight’s idea - the confinement. He told me of it more than a week before he and the other physicians approached the infirmary board and the magistrates. There now, my love, do not look so miffed. If you are going to lie you must do it in front of those who do not know the truth.” 

“Might we eat now?” wondered Ross, who was still replenishing his appetite from a mission in Spain some three months ago. 

Caroline glanced at the clock and said: “Yes, I think so. I left a note for the kitchen to prepare your favourite, if possible.” 

“Not lamb and mint sauce?” Ross dared not hope as it was scarcely the first week of spring. 

“Why ever not?" wondered Caroline. "Have your tastes grown too eclectic in your travels to appreciate a simple homegrown meal?”

Ross rolled his eyes and did not pull on the bait of Caroline’s fishing line. He opened the door and let Demelza pass in front of him, who was then joined quickly by Dwight and Caroline as they left behind the warm glow of the study in favour of the parlour. 

“Jones shot one of our first lambs this morning,” Dwight supplied as they walked on, knowing Ross must be wondering about the timing. “It was a good size, it will feed us well, my friend.” 

Demelza shivered at the thought. “Do you know, sometimes I feel... _wicked_... for eating such things,” she confessed in a whisper, thinking they might believe her foolish but knowing all they same that they would not laugh at her. “To think this morning that little lamb was leapin’ gaily about the fields on woolly legs, not knowing it would not live to see the sunrise.” Her kind lips tipped downward. 

Caroline kissed her sensitive friend’s cheek. “My dear, I promise you you shan’t feel that way once you taste it,” insisted Caroline unsentimentally. 

They all sat down around the large table, but remained as closely seated as possible. 

When the footmen finished pouring their drinks, Ross ignored social propriety and lifted his glass first. “To friendship,” he proposed with a smile. 

“To friendship,” they all toasted with the unique warmth of reunited camaraderie. 

Demelza looked about her with warm glistening eyes and quickly flicked a tear from her cheek. How blessed she was to have such dear, beloved people in her life; there was nothing more important in life than love, and she held so much within her for all those around the table. She would never take a moment of their time together for granted as long as she drew breath. 


End file.
